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Named after one of China's most precious gemstones, Jade was regarded as a divine gift from the gods and having read some reviews about the fine dim sum cuisine they serve, we thought it would be good to give it a try while taking the opportunity to catch up with some friends over lunch!

Renowned for its weekend ala carte dim sum buffet, we visited on a weekday and went for their usual dim sum ala carte menu. With just about two pages of the menu booklet to choose from for the dim sum dishes, it was sufficient though some of your usual items such as egg tarts, char siew sou are not available. It was quite disappointing since these were some of the usual must-haves on a dim sum menu and I have read that these were items available during the weekend buffet.

Liu Sha Bau | S$5.80++/3 pcs

Quite easily the dish that everyone looks forward to when having a dim sum meal and we are no exception! Spotting a bright orange molten core, our eyes beamed with delight and while we enjoyed the richness of the salted egg yolk, the bun was a little too thick, especially the base, for our liking.

Char Siew Bau | S$5.80++/3pcs

When we peeled the soft bau open, that luscious minced pork was screaming for me to eat it, almost. I enjoyed the beautiful roast flavours and the sweetness from the honey barbecued pork lingered to make each mouthful a delightful treat. The fluffiness of the fresh hot buns gave the much desired chewiness texture which would have me coming back for a second bun!

Carrot Cake | S$5.80++/3pcs

When it comes to dim sum, one of the must-orders to test the chef's culinary skills is the carrot cake. While this radish dish looks awfully simple to master, the chef nailed the basic elements right starting from a crisp surface and the soft yet firm texture on the inside. Perfect with some chilli sauce dip!

Siew Mai | S$5.80++/3pcs

The usual must-have, this steamed meat dumpling did not go well for most at the table. With a thin slice of dried oyster sitting atop the densely packed dumpling, there was an awkward scent which caused dismay to our palate. Personally, I like a generously filled dumpling but not one where the texture is coarse and this was just a little too firm for my liking.

Har Gaw | S$5.80++/3pcs

Like any dim sum fare, har gaw or your classic steamed prawn dumpling has to make a grand appearance at some point. Certainly one of the better versions around, I liked that the translucent skin was thin and neatly wrapped the filling together. The prawns had the desired natural sweetness with a crunch to make it palatable for most.

Crispy turnip with black truffle | S$5.80++/3pcs

As you bite through the golden-brown crispy turnip ball, expect to be hit by a fragrant waft of black truffles as the unmistakable scent captured my senses. Juxtaposing the soft and savoury fillings on the inside is the crispy batter that made this one of my favourite dishes!

Xiao Long Bau | S$5.80++/3pcs

It was quite a tedious affair to pick these soup-filled xiao long bau with our chopsticks and the first dumpling actually burst despite a gentle lift. While it was served at the desired temperature, warm and not scorching hot, one has to be quite delicate when picking up the pieces! The meat filling was fresh and there was no porky taste with a light savoury broth.

Glutinous rice wrapped in lotus leaf | S$24++/portion

Available either as a portion, such as this, for S$24++, you could also opt for an individual serving at S$10++. With the larger portion, it was sufficient to fill five bowls quite easily so it would be more than enough to share among family and friends if you were looking to get a taste of the dish. It was definitely one of the star dishes among the various dim sum tried with the aroma taking the limelight. I liked that the glutinous rice had just the right texture of al dente, making this savoury dish a must-try in my humble opinion.


While the dim sum dishes had some hits and misses, overall, I thought that the dishes were decent. A worthy note would be that the restaurant could do portions of up to 5 pieces for each dim sum dish at an additional cost (standard serving is 3 pieces), though the presentation would be improved upon as the additional items were presented quite haphazardly on a separate plate. The modern Chinese restaurant is refurbished in resplendent shades of silver and gold, setting an exquisite air of elegance. This makes Jade a suitable venue for business lunches or if you need a place where you can quite easily impress your dining companions, ambience and food wise. Reservation is highly recommended, especially for the weekend dim sum ala carte buffet.

Reputedly one of Singapore's finest Chinese restaurants serving classic Cantonese cuisine, we have heard much about the quality food served, especially their dim sum menu. On a crusade to discover the finest dim sum places in town, we decided to visit the elegantly yet contemporary styled restaurant at InterContinental Hotel.


With the ongoing Mid-Autumn Festival mooncake promotion, Man Fu Yuan apparently reduced their dim sum offerings and it left us mildly disappointed since the purpose of our visit was centred on trying their hand-crafted dim sum. Nonetheless, we were assured by the serving lady that the list of dim sum available comprised the house's signatures. Afterall, at the end of the day, it is quality that would make our calories count!


Amuse-bouche
We were quite surprised that even for dim sum, Man Fu Yuan served us amuse-bouche each to prepare us for the meal ahead. This not only gave us an insight to the Chef's approach to the art of Chinese cuisine but was also a very nice gesture to kickstart our lunch.

Quality and fresh lump of crab meat was neatly tucked into a thick slice of cucumber. It tasted light and refreshing but more importantly, it showcased the Chef's emphasis on quality and fresh ingredients to glorify simple dishes.


Har Kau, Prawn Dumplings | S$6.80/++
We were both truly impressed upon the first bite and were convinced that this had to be one of the top har kaus to be found in Singapore. Carefully hand made, each har kau had more than eight pleats imprinted on the paper-thin crystalline wrapper that had good elasticity. The fresh large prawn within the dumpling was succulent and was bouncy rather than crunchy, emanating just the desired level of natural sweetness with each mouthful. Quite simply the best har kau we have had so far.


Siew Mai, Pork Dumpling | S$6.80/++

Siew mai is just about the next dish after har kau to put a Chinese dim sum chef to the culinary test. Filled with fresh minced pork, this rendition had an interesting twist with a thin slice of scallop sitting atop. While the robust flavours of the simple dumpling aced and the juiciness of the siew mai appealed favourably, the presentation was somewhat clumsy. The wrapping for the siew mai was inconsistent and when presented in the classic bamboo steamers, it seemed vulnerable to topple or fall sideways anytime.


Lo Bak Go, Radish Cake | S$5.20/++
When it comes to dim sum, the sequence always runs in the following order - har kau, siew mai, lo bak go! At least that is how it goes with the folks here at make your calories count. With that many different renditions out there by various dim sum chefs, this was one of the more memorable ones. Encased in a light batter deep-fried to a beautiful golden brown colour, it gave a nice layer of crispness and crunch to the soft but not overly mashy radish cake on the inside. What I liked about this simple dish was that the basics were not overlooked as you could identify the fine strands of shredded radish packed together to form the classic dim sum dish. With a classic Cantonese-style XO sauce to top the radish cake enhancing the unami flavours of the dim sum, this is one of the few must-orders!

Char Siew Bau, Honey Pork Bun | S$5.20/++

The steamed char siew bau was light and fluffy. It could be pulled apart with a gentle peel, revealing a blend of diced honey barbecued pork. There was a mild sweetness that was enough to please our demanding dim sum palates yet falling short of satiating our appetite. The beautiful flavours of the honey marinade and fragrance of the roast combined harmoniously to make this a must-try for char siew bau lovers!


Liu Sha Bau, Steamed Egg Custard Bun | S$12/++ for six pieces

When it comes to liu sha bau, there is no better way to judge than to let the bun do the talking. A gentle peel to the sides of the bun revealed a warm and luscious salted egg yolk beautifully blended with custard to create one of the best fillings in town. While the flavours were perfectly balanced in sweetness and salinity, our only complaint stemmed from the inconsistency in the bun where the base was much thicker and denser than the rest of the bun. Apart from that, the filling was as close to perfect as one could possibly ask for.

While all good things come in pairs, a basket of liu sha baus comes in sixes and you could choose between the steamed or fried version. It was a shame that we were unable to get a mix of three each so we would have to reserve our calories for the fried version till next time!


Char Siew & Siew Yuk, Roasted Meat Platter | S$32/++

Available in various combinations, we went for my favourite char siew (barbecued pork) and siew yuk (roast pork). Price wise, it was slightly more expensive as I understood from the serving lady that siew yuk comes at a premium. For S$32/++, you could actually enjoy a trio platter comprising char siew, soya chicken and roast duck while this same price fetches you just char siew and siew yuk.


The char siew had a decent cut with just a good thin layer of fat though the leaner portions were slightly too stiff for my liking. What we could not deny was that gorgeous honey marinade that made us empty the plate!


Precision was just about everything for the siew yuk; starting with that lovely crackling sound from the crispy skin, defined layers of fat to the well-blended homemade mustard sauce. What I appreciated was that the chef thoughtfully sliced the siew yuk in bite-sized portions, making every mouthful a delightful crunch. Dipping siew yuk in the sharp, hot and pungent mustard not only brought back memories of dining at my favourite dim sum place in Hong Kong (Fook Lam Moon) but exudes authentic Cantonese culinary flair.


With a classic communal layout expected of most Chinese restaurants, Man Fu Yuan has a touch of elegance. We are also appreciative of the service rendered by the ladies who were attentive to our requests. While there was a minor hiccup when it came to billing, the situation was handled professionally with sincere apologies and immediate rectifications.

Perfect for business lunches or even an intimate dim sum affair like we experienced, it was truly one of the best dim sum meals we had in Singapore. While we continue to search for the next best dim sum restaurant, it would not be long before we return for the quality food served at Man Fu Yuan.